No need to apologize, sands. I totally knew that you were referring to your own facetious comment, not mine. My reading skills are much more advanced than my cooking skills, I promise. :) But thank you for being concerned that you not hurt feelings unintentionally. The nature of the internet is such that it can really cause some awful misunderstandings... Linda, what you're saying certainly makes sense *in theory*. I guess what I'm saying, though, is that I haven't found it to make a significant difference *in practice*. For instance, is there ever liquid in the bottom of the bowl of leftover tuna/chicken salad? Yep. If there's a good bit, I drain it off; if just a little, I mix it in. Either way, I've never thought it tasted waterlogged or that the texture was compromised. Another example is our very favorite pasta salad. No seafood in that one. Just pasta, raw veggies (including most of the ones you listed above, like cucumbers and tomatoes and onions), seasonings and an Italian dressing-style marinade. The original recipe calls for it to be refrigerated for 24 hours before serving. I actually like to hold it for 48 hours, because that's when the flavor is at its' peak. In theory, it should be so mushy and watery by then that nobody would want it. In practice, it actually holds up well for another day or two before the texture of the vegetables finally starts to deteriorate. Maybe y'all are more sensitive to the watery thing than we are. Maybe every pasta salad is different in this respect. Whatever the case, I'm gonna stick to my method this time, guys. lol But I do want to add that it's a pleasure to have a (civil) debate with people who are so knowledgeable and experienced. In the short time I've been hanging around this forum, I've learned an incredible amount. Thanks for sharing! sm

I'm not familiar with either restaurant's dressing, but here's my family's favorite spinach salad dressing recipe. It's a sweet one, and is definitely better if made in advance. Everybody who I have served this to has loved it - enjoy :-) Becky * Exported from MasterCook * Spinach and Strawberry Salad Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 bunches spinach -- rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces 4 cups sliced strawberries chopped toasted nuts (walnuts or pecans) crumbled bleu cheese Dressing: 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon poppy seeds In a large bowl, combine the spinach and strawberries. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, and poppy seeds. Pour over salad, toss until well mixed and serve. Sprinkle chopped toasted nuts and bleu cheese over top. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : Variation: Substitute dried cranberries for strawberries. Dressing can be prepared ahead - refrigerate until serving.

It is on the first page. Here is a link. Here is a link that might be useful: tiny garden plot

In discussing "drainboards" it's important to have definitions. I always think of a drainboard as a flush to counter installation with runnels and/or slope, outside of the sink bowl. The "drainboard" sink you were looking at before, however, has what I would call a "reef" or a "shelf", within the bowl. I'm pretty sure (though not entirely) that B'more's drainboard is more like the former. Most of my prep is vegetables and fruit. ==sexist statement warning== Although I'm capable of dressing meats, I am perfectly happy to let the men do it. And if they're not going to do it on my schedule, I'll let the butcher do it. That's why I had the butcher cut my chickens for the arroz con pollo, and will let the men move furniture instead. :) When I buy a whole chicken, I usually do wash it, and check for pin feathers, and all of that. Sometimes I'll use poultry shears to hack out the backbone (I said I can, not that I'm good at it.) And there's always the he-man with the hacksaw and the mallet. I like cooking chickens, but hate flying bits when the hacking gets too enthusiastic. Therefore, and also because the perimeter counter is an inch and a half lower than the island, the chickens get cleaned at the clean-up sink. Meats get trimmed there too. Cross contamination is foiled. The clean-up zone is only steps from each of the prep and cooking zones, so it's no trouble to bring the pot to the meat and then put it in its next area of attention. My island is the perfect height for me for prep. I have my combo trough-bowl sink. My knives and gadgets are on one side, my colanders and bowls are on the other, and in the center are my fridge drawers, into which I can stow a whole stockpot's worth of vegetables, and back into which crudite can be stored as they're fluted, curled, matchsticked, or whatever. It's heaven! No more backaches. The clean-up sink is close enough that I can just pitch things into it. :) I use a bag on the counter for the trimmings, which go into the green bin downstairs. Baking is done at the other end of the perimeter. My bakeware and staples are there, and the mixer is in the corner. If it's something very complicated, I'll stash some ingredients on the island, but it's too high for mixing. If I'm doing up something by hand, I'm more likely to do it the old fashioned way, with the bowl in the crook of my arm, though sometimes I'll set it on the edge on the counter. I am not so old fashioned as to whip eggwhites on a tray. Mostly, those go in the mixer. Colanders: Mine--and I have half a dozen--never have anything untoward in them. I keep an orange resin one in my prep sink most of the time. It's a fruit style one with big holes, just in the bottom. It's easy to dump some berries, grapes or egg tomatoes into it and give them a quick wash. My stainless one with the good small holes is just right for draining pasta. I have a little cobalt one which is just too cute! It's mostly for being cute, but sometimes is just right for some little task. My old aluminum one with the star pattern holes, and strainer style one fit together and make the best ever way to drain off stock. The stainless one is too narrow. All of these stack nicely and, except the orange one, sit in the top drawer with the graters and a couple of small sieves. Re clean-up, I have a largish single bowl. 33"? I love it. My old Rubbermaid dishpan fits perfectly in the smaller side, and I have a new, huge enamel one that fits in the large side. This is perfect for handwashing masses, like the stemware after entertaining. I have a fancy draining mat with deep channels upon which to set things after they're washed and before they're dried. Most of the time, these live in the cupboard over the fridge (under the sink would be more convenient, but there isn't enough room). For daily use, I will also use a convenient vessel for a dishpan, or to work up suds in. I don't have very many hand wash items on a daily basis, however. I don't let my good knives out of my hands while washing them. It's safest that way. There was an article floating around here awhile ago that told of why the double bowl sink was made obsolete by the dishwashing machine. The fact is, if one does want to do two bowl dishwashing, in my experience, it's actually easier using two dishpans in a large sink. What I like to use a second bowl for is cleaning vegetables. For instance, soaking the sand out of cress or spinach. The prep sink takes that role, leaving the whole clean-up sink for cleaning things (including chickens).